Trash to Treasure

One person has a lot of stamping stuff willing to part with. She puts it in a box to mail out to another swapper.

Inside the box is her stamping “trash” which can be treasure to someone else.

The person she sends to removes what she wants (treasure) and puts in her own “trash” to mail out to the next person (usually assigned numbers to assigned mailings) who does the same thing. The box returns from the last person to the hostess ending the swap. Usually the box has many different items (possible “treasure”) in it plus some original items (her “trash”, still “trash” only defined cause no one else wanted it, LOL) she sent.

What you need to know:

1. This is a very organized swap. Players are limited based on how long the swap will last, that is, how long does the hostess want the box out before the final sending back to the hostess.

2. An inventory booklet accompanies the swap box and must stay with the swap box on all shipments. This booklet contains the names and addresses of players and the order which the box moves from one place to another in a specific order only which is mailed out to all participants once the box is sent from the hostess.

When I have done this type of swap or my UM swaps, I have looked at the map and list all those in approximate vicinities in order so the box can travel faster, or so I hope it will.

EX: Player limit: 8 people

Three people on the east coast get the box first, the third person will then send the box to the first person located in the mid west. The last person who lives in the mid west sends to the first person on the west coast. The last person to get the box on the list who lives on the west coast, sends the box back to me on the east coast.

3. Box contents are also listed in the booklet. People mark their initials of what they took. They add to the list of what new trash they have put in the box before they send it off to the next person on the list. The rule is that you put back into the box, items that are of the same or equivalent value if not a bit more than what you took out.

4. It is required that the box always be sent priority with insurance or confirmation. This is a swap specific detail. UMs are expensive, the hostess would like to see the final result of the box returned to her.

5. The box should only be kept a couple of days to a week at the most before shipping it off. A typical box with 8 people takes about 3 months to make it back to the hostess. Less people means less time the box travels. You can also state in your swap detail, swapping in a specific geographical area only.

6. If you can send a box that can be recycled the entire swap, great.

7. I make up address labels with the number order of mailing and tuck them inside an envelope glued to the inside of the “inventory” book. People just have to take out a label and slap it on the box and use their return address label then mail to the next person. The last person sends the box back to the hostess.

8. Everyone in the swap is required to use a group email to notify everyone on the where abouts of the box, when it got to a destination and when it was mailed from a destination. This is a requirement also.